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Crime / Terrorism
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2001-09-11 02:28:00-04
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NY World Trade Center downed in attack
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Major impact on world economy expected
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In the worst attack on US soil since Pearl Harbour the twin towers of World Trade Center, New York, were downed as two hijacked planes were crashed into them Tuesday morning short before 9 a.m. After being hit the towers stood an hour, then collapsed. Pentagon was hit and damaged by a third plane while a fourth plane was crashed in Pittsburgh. Nobody has yet claimed responsiblity. World leaders, including Tony Blair and Yassir Arafat, has denounced the attack. President Bush promised "that every step will be taken to hunt down these cowards". Up to 50,000 people working in the towers are feared dead. Eyewitnesses saw scores of people jumping to their death from the burning buildings before they collapsed. All air-traffic was grounded and the borders towards Mexico and Canada have been closed. The attacks have caused chaos on world stock markets. Trading has been suspended in New York while share prices on European exchanges plummeted. The Pope talked of "a dark and tragic moment". In addition, there were reports of a car bomb explosion on Capitol Hill in Washington. The White House was evacuated, so too the London Stock Exchange and the Nato headquarters in Brussels. The Foreign Office set up an emergency line for people concerned about relatives in the US. The number is: 0207 0080000.
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